When I Was Younger....

[Matej]

Firstly - thank you all! I am sitting on the chair and smiling  

Well, I never had an exact idea, how the final product will look like and I think that it can be clearly seen. For example on the second model - I firstly made the front part of the fuselage with the cockpit and only then started to think, how will look the rest of the model.

Regarding to lighting - its much simplier than it looks. My first idea was that I will use multiple LED diodes and cut their plastic cover to match exactly the required size. But it was too complicated, so I found a genial solution The whole instrument panel is one big box. Inside the box is only one white LED. I cut the small apertures at the front part and sticked colour plastic plates on them. So only the two cables were needed and the effect can be seen on the photo. The only thing that I had to do is to tighten the gaps between the panels. Its very important, because when you dont do that, you will have christmas tree instead of an aeroplane. There is also one identification light at the bottom of the fuselage in front of the bomb bay and also exhaust nozzles were alight in red. However exhaust lighting doesnt work for some reason now.


Here are the next two projects - my interpretation of F-22 and one fictional european-style fighter. I think that F-22 is the closest to the real plane from all of my models. If I make it now, I will probably use smaller air intakes, a bit longer front part of the fuselage and smaller canopy. However with this plane I realised the problem of every modeller - I made too thin landing gear and it broke!   So this experience is probably "the must" for everybody.  

[Brian da Basher]

Matej, I am so pleased you've joined our wacky little corner of the internet! I am always impressed by card-modellers and you've certainly shown yourself to be a master of the craft! Your work is among the most impressive card-modelling I've ever seen. I particularly like your cockpits and canopies. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen cleaner canopies, even on Tamiyagawa builds!

The use of such diverse materials is amazing to me. It would be really cool to see you and our other resident card-modeller master craftsman Rafa meet up. You guys do more with less than anyone else I can think of!

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

I'm still blown away by what you and Rafa can create with paper/card!

Matej, dumb question here, but are these latest models modified from pre-printed "kit" form of paper models one can download from the internet or do you actually draw them yourself from scratch?

[ysi_maniac]

Matej, dumb question here, but are these latest models modified from pre-printed "kit" form of paper models one can download from the internet or do you actually draw them yourself from scratch?

First my admiration for Rafa and you.

No matter the way you actually draw or   Compared to you, we styrene dependant modellers are weak, faint of heart modellers.

My admiration

[Matej]

Matej, dumb question here, but are these latest models modified from pre-printed "kit" form of paper models one can download from the internet or do you actually draw them yourself from scratch?

Everything what I had on the beginning was a piece of paper, the ruler and the pen. Then I even didnt have the final idea, how it will look like.    

[John Howling Mouse]

Matej, dumb question here, but are these latest models modified from pre-printed "kit" form of paper models one can download from the internet or do you actually draw them yourself from scratch?

Everything what I had on the beginning was a piece of paper, the ruler and the pen. Then I even didnt have the final idea, how it will look like.  

Incredible! How does a person learn to translate the 2-dimensional flat drawing to the finished 3-dimensional shape?  Is it mostly trial and error or is it simply a gift of having a truly great brain?

[ysi_maniac]

He draws a paper ...        

[Matej]

I think that it is step-by-step experience process. When I was 10 years old, every model that I created consisted of cubes, blocks and triangels. Then every new was much and much sophisticated. Of course, it really helps when you have some three dimensional imagination, but its not a "must".

[John Howling Mouse]

What is the largest card model aircraft you've ever done or seen?

Would you ever consider making the same thing as a card model concept but out of thin sheet styrene for improved strength and the ability to paint it differently?

Or can you already paint virtually anything onto the type of paper/card you use?

[Matej]

If we are talking only about aircraft, the biggest that  I started (and never finished) was some 70 cm long. But its a bit extreme.

I used exclusively paper and when needed, some gauzy plastic parts. I didnt use plastic panels simply because there was nothing, what I wasnt able to make from paper (you will see, when I post electrical devices and accessories made from paper!)  

Regarding to colour, I think that it is much easier to paint paper than plastic. You can use water colors, tempera, magic maker, pastels or simply color paper to have different effects.

[BlackOps]

Matej, even more amazing work...these look so fun! I really want to take them and run through the house flying them around each sharp corner! My wife just shakes her head and says I'm wierd but it's fun

Look forward to seeing more of your work in the future. the best thing about your style of modeling is that you really are only limited by your imagination...so it looks like you've got no worries!

[Rafael]

Sorry I arrived late.

Matej, YOURS is the kind of work that has always amazed me. Your 3D conversion brainware works splendidly well!!!

I think you are my lost brother. I too model by ear, I mean, I make a mental sketch of the thing and once the central part or the main part is ready, then I start to think in "how would it look with..." or "What if...". And only then, everything starts to fall into place!!

Of course, I see that you also are a technical genius. I have never gone beyond drawing or doing a paper model and paint it. Clear canopies are out of the question for me, for wich I praise you a lot. And to think of electronics in my papermodels, my skin crawls imagining a papermodel inflight fire!!!!

Very good work, Matej, World-Class!!!

Saludos,
Rafa
(very impressed. goes running to the papermodel shelf)

[upnorth]

Dobry den a vitame vas, Matej!

That is some increadible work you've shared with us.

I really like the F-117, it remainds me very much of some of the speculative drawings that were publised before the F-117 was declassified.

I gave up on card and paper models a long time ago, but there's a club here in the city where I live that specializes in paper models and I've seen them display some increadible things at model shows.

[Rafael]

And to add more merit to the works, watch closely, gentlemen: Young Matej drew the details with a pen, ¡¡¡¡by hand!!!

And the moveable, poseable surfaces!!!!

melikes, melikes    

Rafa

[Tophe]

Your F-22 is lovely
Could you tell us the recipe to create such marvels? Is it a different scale canopy? Or have you increased canopy height by a factor 3 then scratch-built it? (uneasy, but I may dream I could)